Eastern Arborvitae (White Cedar): The Classic Northern Evergreen Screen

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• Family:	Cupressaceae (koo-press-AY-see-ee) (Info)
  Genus:	Thuja (THOO-yuh) (Info)
  Species:	occidentalis (ok-sih-den-TAY-liss) (Info)

Overview

Eastern Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis), also known as White Cedar, American Arborvitae, or Northern White Cedar, is the quintessential cold-hardy, narrow evergreen conifer of eastern North America. Native from Manitoba to Nova Scotia, south to the Great Lakes and Appalachians, it has been a landscape staple for centuries, prized for its dense, scale-like foliage, formal pyramidal habit, and unmatched utility as a screen, hedge, and windbreak.

Foliage, Form & Bark

The foliage consists of **flattened, fan-like sprays of tiny, overlapping, scale-like leaves** (1/8 inch), bright green to yellow-green, often bronzing in winter (especially in exposed sites). Crushed foliage emits a pleasant, sweet, cedar-like aroma. The tree is naturally a narrow pyramid, 20–40 feet tall and 10–15 feet wide in cultivation (taller in the wild), with a strong central leader. Bark is reddish-brown, fibrous, peeling in long strips.

Cones & Cultivars

Small, oblong cones (1/2 inch) mature from green to brown, with 8–10 scales. The species is the parent of **countless cultivars** selected for size, shape, and color: 'Emerald Green' ('Smaragd')—narrow, bright green, no bronzing; 'Techny'—compact, dark green, cold-hardy; 'Nigra' (Dark Green)—retains color; 'Pyramidalis'—formal column; 'Hetz Midget'—dwarf globe; 'Degroot's Spire'—narrow columnar. There is an arborvitae for almost every landscape need.

Culture & Care

Hardy in USDA Zones 2–7 (some cultivars to Zone 8). **Full sun to part shade**; prefers moist, well-drained, fertile soil but tolerates wet, clay, and alkaline conditions better than most conifers. **Intolerant of drought, salt, and heavy shade.** Bagworms and spider mites can be pests; deer browse heavily in winter. Shear hedges in early summer. A foundational plant for northern gardens: reliable, versatile, and structurally indispensable.